9:25 Dragon

"Please, I cannot just leave her here alone. She has no one else."

The man the young boy spoke to, the head recruiter for the Ferelden Templar Order- Virgil Ryan- regarded him. The young boy before him was Derik Teyber, a promising new recruit who wanted to join the Order to help make a difference not just for his country, but for his younger sister.

"Ser Virgil, there must be a way we can bring her with us." his companion said, a young man named Conrrat Laurent. "She's so young. It wouldn't be right to leave her alone."

Virgil sighed. "Very well. Derik, you may bring your sister. I will speak with the Knight-Commander once we reach Kinlock Hold on your behalf."

Derik smiled with relief. "Thank you, ser. You won't regret your decision, I swear by the Maker."

Virgil offered him a small smile. "We will leave in the morning. Be sure to get plenty of rest, it will be quite the journey."


The following morning, Derik joined Virgil and Conrrat at the village gate. Conrrat presented him with a horse, then helped him get his sister settled into the saddle.

"Where are we going, big brother?"

Derik smiled at her. "We're going to the Circle of Magi tower, Aylin. The Templars have agreed to take me in for training."
"What kind of training?" Aylin asked.

Conrrat chuckled. "Your brother will undergo rigorous training to learn to combat magik and wield a weapon, among other things."

"That doesn't sound like fun." Aylin said, looking at him.

Conrrat smiled and ruffled her hair. "It may not be much fun, but it's rewarding beyond compare." He stepped back and mounted into his own saddle. "Besides, nothing is better than a bit of hard training in exchange for a roof over your head and food in your bellies."

Virgil signaled them forward and they set forth on their long journey.

Aylin looked behind them as Wolfshead Harbor faded in the background.

Derik hugged her closer with one arm and smiled. "Don't worry, Sis, we'll be there before you know it."


"Wow, it's so big!"

Virgil, Conrrat, and Derik all smiled at Aylin's enthusiam once they had reached Kinlock Hold.

"This is where we're going to be living?" she asked, looking to Derik.

"Yes, Sis, this is our new home."

Aylin beamed, then reached out to Derik after he had slid out of his saddle. She pet the horses, then ran off to the dock where a boat was waiting to take them across the lake to the Tower.

"Aylin, be careful!"

"She's awfully spirited for one so young." Virgil said, clapping Derik on the shoulder. "She's what, six?"

Derik nodded. "She'll be seven here soon. Few months from now."

Aylin beamed at the men as they joined her at the dock. "Let's go home!"

Conrrat chuckled, lifting her up into the boat. He and Virgil had grown fond of her and Derik over the several weeks it took them to reach Lake Calenhad. Aylin lifted their spirits and Derik gave them hope for a fading future.

Once the others climbed into the boat, it didn't take them long before they reached the Tower. Thanking the ferryman, they made their way inside and were greeted by other Templars.

Aylin took a look around, trying to be careful as she took in the wonder of the Tower. She turned around to go back to her brother, but she ran right into someone.

"Ow, watch where you're going, idiot!"

Aylin rubbed her head, having knocked heads with a young boy not much older than her and not much younger than Derik. "You watch it, stupid!" she retorted, sticking out her tongue.

"Little girls like you shouldn't be running around anyways." the boy said, sticking his tongue out in return.

"Ya, well, little boys shouldn't be going around being mean to people!" Aylin retorted, determined to have the last word.

"Ah, Cullen! It would seem you met our newest member!" Conrrat said, having come over when he saw the two of them bickering and he chuckled.

"She's joining the Templars?" Cullen asked, looking at Aylin with disdain. "But she's so scrawny!"

"I'm not scrawny!" Aylin said, defensively.

"Ya, you are! You're so scrawny, we should just feed you to a mabari!"

Aylin's eyes started tearing up. "I'm not scrawny..."

"In fact, you're so scrawny an ogre would use you as a toothpick!"

"Cullen, that's enough. Apologize to-"

*whap*

Conrrat looked in awe as Cullen fell back onto the floor, his nose bleeding. He looked over at Aylin, her fist still clenched and tears slipping down his cheeks.

"I'm not scrawny..!" she said, then turned to run over to her brother, burying her face in his tunic.

"Aylin, what's wrong?" Derik asked, then looked over as Conrrat helped a young boy to his feet. "What happened, Sis?"

Aylin just shook her head and clung to her brother.

Derik sighed and took her head, leading her over to the Conrrat and the boy. "What happened?"

Conrrat sighed, giving the boy a handkerchief for his bloody nose. "They ran into each other, started bickering, Cullen here called Aylin scrawny and Aylin punched him."

"Aylin, did you punch Cullen?" Derik asked, looking at his sister.

"He said they should feed me to a mabari..." Aylin said, looking up at him.

"It was a just a joke." Cullen said, pouting.

"Cullen, it was mean." Derik said. "Now, you two need to apologize to each other. We're all going to be living here now, so you can't constantly be at each other's throats."

Aylin and Cullen ignored each other, then with urging from Conrrat and Derik, then stepped forward with arms crossed.

"I'm sorry..." Aylin said.

"Ya, whatever..." Cullen said. "Ow!"

Conrrat had smacked him on the back of the head. "Apologize, lad."

Cullen rubbed the back of his head and sighed. "I'm sorry."

Aylin looked up at him, noticing that he was holding his head back. "No, no. Don't tilt your head back." She said, gently pushing it back up. "It won't stop the bleeding, it'll just make the blood go to your brain." She reached into her pouch and pulled out a little jar. "Here. It'll help stop the bleeding until you can see a healer."

Cullen was dumbfounded. Here was this strange girl who was just fighting with him, had just nearly broken his nose, and now she was trying to take care of him. He took the jar gingerly and looked at her.

"Derik, Aylin."

The two looked over at Virgil as he called them over. Derik took his sister's hand and started to pull her away, but she stopped him for a moment.

"Just rub some of the poultice over your nose here," Aylin said as she gestured to the spot on her nose, "and it should help the bleeding stop in just a few minutes."

Cullen watched as she walked away with her brother. "Conrrat, is she really joining the Templars?"

"Not that I know of, no."

"Then why is she here?" Cullen asked, taking some of the poultice and rubbing it over the bridge of his nose.

"Derik is the one joining the Templars, but it's just he and Aylin. They have no one else. Virgil agreed to let Aylin come along so that she wouldn't be left alone, being so young." Conrrat explained. "If she wants to join the Templars, it's up to her. But regardless, this will be her home just as much as it is your so try to get along?"

Cullen nodded. "Fine..."

"Good lad, now let's get you to the healer."


Just a few days had passed since Aylin and Derik had arrived at Kinlock Hold, but they had settled in nicely. Derik started his training immediately and Aylin was allowed to explore the Tower so long as she didn't disrupt anyone. She was given restricted areas, of course, but there were so many other places that she could go to explore.

Making her way to the library, Aylin's eyes widen in wonder when she saw the thousands of books lining shelves that were three times as tall as a grown man.

"Wow, there's so many books!"

A soft chuckle came from behind her and she turned to see a woman with hair just starting to gray.

"Sorry, was I being too loud?" Aylin asked sheepishly.

"No, dear girl, it is just rare to see someone so young as excited as you are now. Most of the children your age that come to us are frightened and overwhelmed."

"Really? But there's so much here to find, to read, to see! Why would they be scared?"

The woman smiled. "What is your name, child?"

"Aylin Teyber, ma'am."

"I am Wynne. It is a pleasure to meet you. Tell me, Aylin, are you a mage? Or perhaps a new Templar recruit?"

Aylin shook her head. "No, but my big brother is training to be a Templar. Virgil agreed to let me come with Derik since we don't have parents anymore."

"I see. Well, then, Aylin, is there a book you wish to read first?"

Aylin blushed and looked down at her feet. "I don't know how to read. We were always on the road after Mum and Papa died, so we only ever had what we needed to survive."

"I see. Well, then would you like to learn?"

Aylin beamed up at her. "Really? Can you teach me?"

Wynne smiled. "Of course. If you would like, you can sit in with my classes and study our basic curriculum."

"Really? Can I really, Wynne?"

Wynne laughed softly. "Yes, Aylin. In fact, I'm on my way to teach my class now. Why don't we start today?" She held out her hand, then led Aylin when she took it to her classroom. "Good afternoon, everyone. We have a new student. This is Aylin."

Aylin raised a hand and waved shyly. "Hi."

"Aylin, why don't you find a seat and I will find something simple for you to start with." Wynne said.

Aylin nodded and went to sit by herself. Wynne brought over one of the books she often used to teach children to read. "Thank you, Wynne."

"Of course."

A young girl came running into the room, panting. "I'm sorry I'm late, Enchanter Wynne!"

"Ah, Cassia. It is alright, though let's try not to make a habit of it?"

Cassia nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

"Why don't you come sit here with Aylin?"

Cassia hurried over and put her things down. "Hi."

"Hi."

"Aylin, this is Cassia Wilder. She will be helping you learn to read." Wynne said.

A few of the students snickered, obviously finding it humorous that Aylin couldn't read.

"Yes, ma'am. Is she starting with this one?" Cassia asked.

Wynne nodded. "I thought it best to start her out simple."

"Of course." Cassia looked at Aylin as Wynne walked away and addressed the rest of the class. "Don't worry, Aylin. We'll go as fast or as slow as you'd like."

Aylin smiled a bit. "Ok."

"How old are you?"

"Six."

"And your parents never taught you to read?"

Aylin shook her head. "Mum and Papa died a few years ago. It's been me and my big brother, but we were always on the road so we only had what we really needed."

"I see." Cassia put her hand on Aylin's. "It's ok, Aylin, my parents died before I came here too. I know how you feel."

Aylin looked at her and couldn't help but return her warm smile.

"Alright, let's open to the first chapter and begin."